Mark Thompson (Director of Television, BBC) and Ashley Highfield (Director of New Media, BBC) have appointed Helen O’Rahilly as the first Channels Executive, BBCi to act as a vital bridge between TV and New Media to develop and implement exciting enhanced TV ideas across all programme genres.
The role is crucial for BBC Television’s strategy for finding and developing ideas in enhanced programming and Helen will liaise with genre commissioners, channel controllers, Interactive Television and programme-makers to ensure that TV fully exploits the creative potential of the exciting new medium of interactive TV.
Helen will report to Jane Root, Controller BBC TWO and work with the Controllers of BBC ONE, THREE and FOUR to create a specific link between Television commissioning and the BBC’s Interactive Television team. She will also work with independent production companies to ensure they are able to use interactivity to its full potential.
Helen was Creative Director for Digital Channels in the BBC’s General Factual department, where she has been responsible for more than 10 series including Rock Shrines and Clive Anderson’s Conspiracies. Prior to that, she was Director of Television Production at RTE from 1999 to 2000. She has also worked on a range of factual programming, both as an independent producer, and at the BBC. Helen was Editor of Watchdog and Weekend Watchdog from November 1997 to May 1999.
